Development of Economic Education Cardiff 2009 As the class turns: possibilities to embed situational interest in the classroom Quincy Elvira Dorien Doornebos-Klarenbeek

Development of Economic Education Cardiff 2009

As the class turns: possibilities to embed situational interest in the classroom

Quincy Elvira

Dorien Doornebos-Klarenbeek


Program


Research question

• What instructional practices support situational interest (and do these lead to changes in individual interest)?


Interest

Interest as a motivational variable refers to the psychological state of engaging or the predisposition to reengage with particular classes of objects, events or ideas over time (Renninger & Hidi, 2001).

1. Fosters remembering & understanding

2. Positive attitude

3. Higher order learning strategies


Model of interest development(Hidi & Renninger, 2006)

Triggered situational interest

Maintained situational interest

Emerging individual interest

Context

Individual Well-developed individual interest

Situational interest refers to focused attention and the affective reaction that is triggered in the moment by environmental stimuli, which may or may not last over time (Renninger & Hidi, 2001).


Identified sources of situational interest

• Novelty (i.e. a new or unusual experience)

• Surprise (i.e. unexpected or discrepant stimuli)

• Autonomy (i.e., offering students meaningful choices)

• Suspense• Social involvement• Background knowledge• Source: Anderman, Noar, Zimmerman, &

Donosshew, 2004; Hidi, 2001)

• “Meaningfulness” occurs when students perceive activities as relevant to their present lives

• “involvement”refers to the degree in which students are active participants in the learning process”

• Source: Mitchell, 1993

Aim: Implement these sources in work lectures


“As the class turns”

Objective: Activate the prior knowledge (background knowledge) about labour market on demand side as well as supply side.

Cartoon: Fokke & Sukke (Duck & Birdie).


What are your associations with the labour market? Write down key words.


Word web

Labour market

politics

abstract labour unions

work

staff

Demand & supplyApplication Letteremployment

unemployment

Salarystrike

Working hours

Vacancy

technology

greediness


What is today’s topic?

Agnes Jongerius, leader of the FNV trade union


Why this topic?• Controversial issue1. Involve value judgement

2. Connected to conflicting interests

3. Connected to group narratives and identities

4. Different positions in the field (Becker “taste model”, Arrow)

5. Considered as important within society

6. Question lives!(Wellington, 1986, Chevallord, 1997, Berg et al, 2003, Legardez, 2006, Hess, 2005;2008)


“As the class turns”

Context: Exclusion (discrimination on the labour market)In 4 rounds students were shown a part of a documentary (+/-3 min) about

exclusion in the labour market.

1. Fragment disabled people in the labour market (3 min)2. Peer-discussion (4 min)3. Fragment elderly (age 45+) in the labour market (3 min)4. Peer-discussion (4 min)5. Fragment ethnic minorities in the labour market (3 min)6. Peer-discussion (4 min)7. Fragment disadvantaged young people in the labour market (3 min)8. Peer-discussion (4 min)

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

A week later, a talk show


Possible solutions:

Causes: Consequences:

Reasons to go to work:

Explain causes, explain consequences, analyze reasons to go to work, create possible solutions

Assignment


Learning outcomes

• Discrimination can occur when an employer acts as if the costs of an employee are higher than the wage from a particular group (Becker, 1957).

• Undesirable from an ethical and social perspective

• Economically inefficient, decreases incentive to supply labour work and to build human capital.


context

(Visual)representation

Learning activities

LearningOutcome

Conceptual model(= knowledge structure,which students

need to possess)

TeachingMoment

Mental model (what is happening in students’

head?)

Mental representation( Conceptualizing the mental model)

“Economics in context”: our view

≠misconceptions

EconomicThinking


Situational interest• What instructional practices support situational interest (and

do these lead to changes in individual interest)?

• Problem-solving may make students aware of inadequacies of or inconsistencies in their previous knowledge of a topic.

• Active participation: We adopt hands-on methods to get students involved with the material and subject matter (Del Favero, 2007).

• Meaningfulness: Learning by building on (our) present knowledge or skills (Background knowledge) (Del Favero, 2007) .

• The creation of imaginative contexts and the use of stories and narratives may produce a novelty effect that elicits situational interest (Bergin,1999;Cordova & Lepper, 1996)


Situational interestDiscussion situational interest

Students are engaged in tasks which allow them to express their ideas and reflections freely

New to them, novelty may have an “interest” aspect.

Working with peers leads students to experience positive relationships,which can also be a supportive condition for interest development

Concreteness : The video clips can easily be linked to everyday experience.


Students’ Comments• “Giving us the initiative by using word webs instead of transmitting

knowledge, was motivating

• “ In a lesson such as this one you really get involved in the topic”

• “By making different groups (alternating), you are working with students, with whom you normally do not cooperate with and that gives interesting insights”.

• “We learn to critically watch film fragments (related to the topic)”

• “It is challenging to give your opinion about this topic”


Students’ Comments• “Brainstorming concepts make me/us wonder”

• “The use of small movies and teasers let our minds flow”

• “I think this a great improvement of a lesson and you really try to imagine how a person or a group thinks”.

• “You connect to the students’ perception and to the contemporary topicality”.

• “All points of view are approved and complimented”

• “Positive teacher feedback on my concepts have me change my attitude during the lecture”.


Conclusion• A temporary state of interest may be stimulated by four aspects of the learning environment:

• Role of the teacher: Approve & compliment students Devil’s advocate (challenge them!!) Mirror

• Learning activities novelty autonomy suspense background knowledge Ill-structured questions (discuss, brainstorm)

• Interpersonal activities Social involvement

• Specific topics; use controversial issues; conflicting views lead to interesting discussions, contemporary topicality.

Surprise the students!

Documents

Development of Economic Education Cardiff 2009 As the class turns: possibilities to embed situational interest in the classroom Quincy Elvira Dorien Doornebos-Klarenbeek